Improvement in metallic grave-stones



W. J. DEW.

METALLIC GRAVE-STONES.

NM 181,148, Patented Aug.15, 1876.

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ATTORNEY NPETERE. PHOTO-UTWAPHEE WASHINGTON, D C,

"UNITED STATES PATENT C)FFICE.

WILLIAM J. new, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN METALLIC GRAVE-STONES.

Specification formingpart of Letters Patent No. 181.1 18, dated August 15, 1876; application filed June 24, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. DEW, of Baltimore, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Metallic Grave- Stones; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the-construction and operation of the same, reference being bad to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is an elevation, partly in section, of my improved grave-stone, showing the head-stone; and Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are details.

This invention has relation to improvements in metallic grave-stones and it consists mainly in combining with a sectional cast-metal curb, the parts of which are tenoned together, a flat metallic base-plate, having a vertical flange around its outer edge, and upwardlyprojecting spaced lugs inside of said flange, between which the edge wall of the sectional curbing will be received, thereby preventing the sections of the same from becoming disjointed and displaced.

It also consists in the vertical columns of the head or foot stone provided on their upper ends with tenons, and on their lower ends with curved tongues, in combination with a slotted base secured to or forming a part of the curbing, and adapted to receive the said tongues, sectional tablets adapted to be inserted in grooves in the inner faces of the uprights or columns, and a caprpiece adapted to be applied upon the tenoned upper ends of the same, thereby holding the parts of the head-stone together, as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

In the annexed drawings, the letter A designates the base of my improved tomb-stone. It consists of a flat metallic plate, usually provided with a central opening of oblong form, through which the mound will extend.

This plate is designed to take the place of the usual base of masonry, and it is snflicient- 1y broad crosswise to prevent it from settling. It is also provided upon its outer edge with a vertical flange, a, projecting upward therefrom and inside of the said flange with a suitable number of upwardly-projecting lugs, The distance between the flange a and lugs b is equal to the thickness of the wall of the curbing. This curbing, designated by the letter B, is of the usual height and thickness, and, being cast hollow, is U-shaped in crosssection. It is composed of two end sections, 0, and two side sections, d, the former having flanges a cast thereon, adapted to fit snugly into the open ends of the latter when the curbing is put together. In this position it forms an open rectangle of precisely the same dimensions as the space included by the flange a of the base, and it fits snugly therein, its outer wall 6 fitting between the said flange and the lugs above described.

By this means the sections of the curbing are prevented from becoming disjointed and displaced, and are kept in proper relation to the base, as shown in Fig.1. The curb-sections are secured to the base by means of hooks fupon their under sides, and eyes f upon the base. The inner wall x will have arch-formed openings f which will lessen the weight of the curbing, and allow access to the hooks.

0 represents the base-piece of a head-stone, D, which base is of the same general form as the curb. It is secured to or cast on the end section of the curbing, as shown in the drawings. The upper face of this base-piece is slotted at each end, as shown at 9, Fig. 1, for the purpose of recei ing a curved tongue, h, upon the lower end of each upright column F. These columns are provided upon their inner edges with grooves i, ot'suitable depth, adapted to receive the corresponding edges of the tablet G, which is equal in width to the distance between the bottoms of the grooves i when the columns F are in position. This tablet is composed of any suitable number of sections, j k l, which are superposed upon each other ed gewise between these columns, beingpassed from above downward one after the other in the grooves 1'. Each of these sections is designed to receive the name of a deceased person, and, as required, may be removed from the columns, taken to a painter, the name placed thereon, and then returned to its place, simply by removing the capplate E. The plate E is provided upon its lower edge with two rectangular recesses or mortises, m, adapted to receive corresponding tenons n upon the upper ends of the columns F. When placed in position this cap-plate will hold the columns together, clamping them, and efi'ectually holding the tablet-sections in place. The cap-piece will be secured to the upright by means of screws 8, passing through its edge wall, and bearing against or passing through the tenons n. All of the parts of this monument will be of cast metal. If of iron, they may be galvanized; but the tongues h may be of steel or malleable or wrought iron, if desired. They may be also ornamented in any style, may be of any order of architecture, and have any of the usu-' al funereal devices or emblems placed or cast thereon.

In practice I shall conceal the joints of the tablet-sections by a suitable molding.

When two head-stones are used edge to edge there will be three uprights, the central one being grooved on both edges, and all three secured by one cap. The latter may, however, be so cast as to present the appearance of two caps. The foot-stone may be constructed precisely as above described for the head-stone, but, being of small size, I may cast it in one piece.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a metallictombstone, the combination, with the sectional U-shaped curb B, of the base-plate A, having the edge flan'ge a and lugs b, substantially as and. for the purpose specified.

2. The base-plate A, having edge flange a, in combination with the sections 0 d of a metallic curbing, joined together, substantially as specified.

3. The columns F, having curved tongues h, tenons n, and vertical grooves 13, in combination with the removable tablet-sections j k l, the cap-piece E, having mortises m, and the base 0, having slots 9 g, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The removable tablets j k l, grooved columns F, adapted to be removably secured to the base 0, and the detachable cap E, combined and arranged substantially as specified.

In testimony that Iciaim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name-in the presence of two witnesses.

WM. JAS. DEW. Witnesses: M

WALTER G. MASI, F. J. MASI. I 

